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Is it possible to become allergic to something that you've never been allergic to before?

Jokes, Polls & Anything Else / 2:01 PM - Tuesday March 15, 2011

Is it possible to become allergic to something that you've never been allergic to before?

The dog I have is hypoallergenic, so he doesn't shed. I spent the weekend at my friend's house, and she has five dogs that all shed a lot. I broke out pretty bad on my face, and I'm fine now that I'm home. I used to have a dog that shed, and I was just fine, I never had a problem with it. But is it possible to all of a sudden be allergic?

Our bodies change all the time.
I had never had asthma in my entire life until I was sent to Spokane, WA.
Turns out, I had an allergy to some evergreen trees which brought-on asthma and running outdoors - the military kind of "encourages" - that, made it worse.

Also, there is no such thing as a hypoallergenic dog.
Some are less hypoallergenic: Poodles, Bichons, Portuguese Water Dogs...but NONE are hypoallergenic.

My older daughter never had a problem with cats until we moved to New Mexico and those cats were indoor/outdoor cats.
It wasn't the cats; it was the stuff they were playing and rolling in when they were outside.

- Response by jenny12, A Career Woman, Female, 46-55, Other Profession

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Yes, very possible and very common.

Out bodies have 4 immune systems. We often aren't allergic to something because one of these systems is telling the other 3 - "Chill out, don't worry, its nothing bad."

But we change when we get older. Either that one system starts losing steam and the others freak out, or one of the systems gets stronger and decides - "You know what? I've been listening to you for years and I dont buy it. I'm gonna start an allergic response."

There's different ways to treat these allergies too. If you're allergic to pollen (from inhalation), its possible to reduce the allergic reaction by introducing pollen into your body in a different way, such as by consumption.

If the dogs that you petted had prowled around in the weeds, who knows what could have gotten on their fur, the your hands, and then your face. I doubt that you would have a skin rash from dog dander. Rather, dog dander would make you sneeze, and your eyes itch.

I was told by my family's ENT, the chemical makeup of your body shifts over the course of seven years so you can develop an allergy or an allergy can be reduced.
BTW five shedding dogs can bother anyone, even people without allergies

- Response by youngfuddyduddy, A Married Girl, Female, 46-55, New York, Who Cares?

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If you have a bad allerigic reaction to something, it doesn't matter what, then you can be come hyper sensitive to everything. I have a friend who started a new job that involved working with some chemicals and she had to stop because she had a bad allergic reaction and now if she comes out in a rash if she comes in contact with a dog. she grew up with dogs and never had this problem before.

- Response by psychoticbabe1, A Thinker, Female, 29-35, Other Profession

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Its probably just the amount of pet dander that set you off but to answer your question; yes you can devolop alergies later in life.

Yes, absolutely! After I had my daughter, I felt weird after I would take a shower. I finally discovered some type of neuralogical allergy to something that is in shampoo! I'm not sure what ingerdient it is, but it affects my sense of taste, and I can't think clearly, I think it has to do with the perfume. I now can only use baby shampoo as soap in the shower. Long story short...yes you can become allergic to something you haven't been before!